PHOTO: Safety advice issued after chicken shed destroyed by fire

Please take care when using garden incinerators, that’s the advice from our firefighters following an incident at a property in Dovercourt yesterday evening.

A chicken coup and shed were destroyed after a dustbin incinerator was being used too close to a garden storage unit. The heat from it caused the timber and plastic to ignite and the fire spread. Fortunately the six chickens were rescued by the owner and neighbours.

Dovercourt Station Manager Quentin Sage said: “With the recent good, sunny weather, people are getting out and working in the garden. This is a good opportunity to remind people to take care when disposing of their garden waste. If you are using an incinerator please be careful, watch them and don’t place them too close to flammable materials.”

If you are thinking of having a bonfire, please follow our safety advice:

• Site the bonfire well away from houses, garages, sheds, fences, overhead cables, trees and shrubs
• Never leave the bonfire burning unattended
• Build the stack so that it is stable and will not collapse outwards or to one side
• NEVER use flammable liquids - paraffin or petrol - to light the fire
• Don't burn foam-filled furniture, aerosols, tins of paint and bottles
• Keep everyone away from the fire - especially children, who must be supervised at all times
• Pour water on the embers before leaving

More outdoor fire safety advice is available here: 

This incident was attended by crews who are on-call firefighters, who all live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station and attend incidents.

If you live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter too.

Find out more about the role at essex-fire.gov.uk/on-call